Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Modern Century.

I prowled the streets all day long, feeling very strung-up & ready to pounce, determined to "trap" life - to preserve life in the act of living.

I remember first seeing this photograph during a photography workshop I took on composition several months ago. I loved it. The instructor briefly mentioned the photographer as being one of the masters, I forgot his name, & we all moved on.

Mike pulled a page out of one of The Economist last month & stuck it on the fridge. We have to go see this! An upcoming exhibit at The MOMA that he thought I'd love - Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Modern Century. So that was our Saturday afternoon date - after breakfast at home with friends who were in town, a quick meeting with the contractor who is working on our new apartment before we move in, & lunch at Cascabel (so close to our new home!), we went to The MOMA.

The Economist mentioned that Cartier-Bresson "rarely used a light meter or checked his aperture setting, & he seldom took more than a few shots of a single subject. With the instinct of a hunter, he knew when to click the shutter." You can see this in his photos - they're all simple, organic & not overthought - & so stunningly beautiful in how they portray life & his wanderings around the world.

(We bought a print of one of our favorites. Of course, after stopping by Pottery Barn to pick up a frame on the way home, I managed to scuff the print when trying to put it in the frame - totally ruining it - as soon as I got home. I went back to the shop the next day & they let me exchange it! For free! Even though it was totally my own human error & no fault of their own. Nice people make me happy. Oh - & I'm letting them frame & ship it this time. I'm not making that mistake again.)